Remote control apparatus



June 28, 1932. D. W. REDDY REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 19, 1929 mmzuumm INVENTOR David ZMRed'dy ATTORNEYS REMOTECONTROL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENU lNVENTORWITNESSES 25 \35 27 David ZU-Reddy ATTORNEYS Patented June 28, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAVID WILLIAM BEDDY, 01' NEW YORK, N. Y.,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH 1'0 MARY A. LEWIS, ONE-FOURTH T VIOLA CORNELL,AND ONE-FOURTH TO MAX SILVER- m, ALL OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

morn conrnon ArrAnArUs This invention relates to apparatus.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved remote control device adapted to control from a distance pointeither electrical or mechanical apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electricallyoperated remote remote control m control device-for controllingtheirotation of a shaft.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel andimproved remote control device especially adapted for controlling '15from a distant point the rotation of a radio tunin device. a

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedremote control apparatus adapted to rotate a remote device by -zo aseries of step-by-step movements thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a remote'controldevice including a switch adapted to transmit a predetermined number ofindividual electrical impulses. It is also among the objects of theinvention to provide in connection with the impulse transmitting switch,an apparatus and actuator.

adapted to impart step-by-step rotary movement in response to theelectrical impulses.

clude the provision of a novel device in which the combination andinterrelation ofparts provides a simple and efiicient apparatus welldesigned to meet the demands of economic manufacture.

Reference is to .be had to the following specification taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1's adiagrammatic illustration of one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of aradio tuning plate and operatingmeanstherefor; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of that portion of the deviceshown in Fig. 2; a

Fig, 4 is a top plan View partly broken away. showing the impulsetransmitting switch; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on lines 5-5ofFig.4; Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the return Other objects of thepresent invention in- ".vided mounted upon the base 11 with whichnon-impulse transmitting movement of the switch plate; I

Fig. 7 illustrates the'plate during impulse transmitting movement. a

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the invention hasbeen illustrated in combination with a radio receiving apparatus, whichis generally indicated by the dotted lines 10. It will be understoodthat the invention is not confined to this specific apparatus but thedevice may be used for the control of various types of mechanical orelectrical devices.

The present invention includes a base 11 upon which suitably associatedcontrollers and switches may be provided in addition to the impulsetransmitting switches, as will be hereinafter described. Such switchesare indicated by the volume control switch 12 and the speaker switch 13which controls the current through the output conductors 14 of the radioreceiver which are arranged through the switch 13 to the loud speaker orequivalent device 15.

For supplying energy to the receiving apparatus, a source of potentialnot shown, is utilized and the required energy is transmitted therefromthrough the conductors 16 and 17 to the radio apparatus by connectionwiththe binding post 18 thereof. Mounted upon the base 11 of theremotely positioned control device, an impulse transmitting switch isprovided which includes a rotatable disk 20, the under side of which isprovided with projecting arms 21 which are adapted to ride over theinsulating base 11. The arms 21 are electrically connected to theconductor 17 by'a conductor 22, the circuit including theswitch 23 andpilotlight 24, the central shaft of the disk 20 being connected with thepilot light 24 by a conductor 25 and the arms being electricallyconnected with the shaft jar rotation therewith. For cooperation withthe arms 21, a conducting plate 26 is prothe arms 21 may contact in onedirection of rotation thereof, to transmit a predetermined numberofelectrical impulses through the conductors 27 and 28 to one sideof anactuating magnet 30, the other side of which is 100 connected with theconductor 16 by a suitable conductor 31.

For preventin transmission of impulses by the passage 0 the arms 21 overthe plate 26 upon both directions of rotation of the plate, a guardmember 32 is provided carried upon the base 11, one end of whichcontacts with the base so that when an arm approaches the plate fromthat direction, the arm will ride over the guard and no contact of thearm with the plate will be established, this movement of the arms beingindicated in Fig. 6. In the opposite direction or direction indicated bythe arrow in Fig. 1, the arms 21 pass under the guard and in so passingestablish an electrical connection between the arms and the plate toprovide an impulsive energization of the circuit to the magnet 30.

The disk 20 of the impulse transmitting switch is normally retained inpredetermined lnactive position by a spring 33 which resiliently retainsa stop projection 34 on the disk against a stop 35 carried by the base11. For operating the disk, a plurality of apertures 36 on its marginaledge are provided, whereby from the rest position shown in Fig. 1, thedisk may be readily rotated by the insertion of a pencil stylus or thelike 1n one of the apertures and rotation of the disk continued untilthe stylus strikes a stylus stop 37. The apertures are provided withsuitable numerals, the arrangement being such that with a styluspositioned in the aperture 3 of Fig. 1 and the stylus moved to the stop37, upon release and return movement of the disk three of the arms 21will move across the plate 26 and three impulses will be transmittedfrom the conductor 17 through the magnet 30 to the conductor '16.

0 For rotating the shaft in a remotely positioned apparatus, such as thecondenser shaft 40 of the radio receiving apparatus, the shaft 1sprovided with a pair of controlling disks 41 and 42. The outer disk 41is provided with a plurality of counterclockwise pitched teeth 43, whilethe associated inner disk 42 is provided with clockwise pitched teeth44. The arrangement is such that upon reception of impulses by themagnet 30, which is mounted upon the remotely positioned apparatus, theperiodic energization thereof will actuate the magnet keeper 45 againstthe tension of its spring 46 to longitudinallyreciprocate a shaft 47,the outer end of which is provided with a hook 48. Upon each inwardmovement of the shaft, it engages successive teeth of the disk 41 tomove the shaft in step-by-step rotational movement in the dlrection ofthe arrow in Fig. 2. When the shaft 47 is in its outer position asnormally maintained by the spring 46, the hook end thereof rides over acam block 49, whereby in its raised position the book 48 is free fromengagement with the teeth 43.

For moving the shaft 40 in the opposite direction, a switch 50 isprovided on the base 11 and directly connects the conductor 17 throughthe. switch 23, pilot light 24 and a conductor 51 with a magnet 52 bymeans of a conductor 53. The magnet 52 is provided with a keeper 55,spring 56, arm 57, hook 58 and cam 59, substantially the same as that ofthe magnet assembly-3O for moving the shaft in a clockwise direction,the difference being that the plane of the arm 57 and hook 58 is such asto engage the oppositely pitched teeth 44 of the disk 42. The returncircuit for the magnet 52 is made through a conductor 60 which iselectrically associated with the keeper 55 which when in outer positioncontacts with a conductor 61 which conductor terminates in a brush 62mounted for movement over a circuit control 63 carried with the disk 42and shaft 40.

The circuit control 63 includes a conducting, segment 64, thearrangement being such that when the shaft is in zero position asindicated in Fig. 1, energization of the magnet 52 is impossible, butafter it is moved in the direction of the arrow A in Fig.1, the brush 62will ride upon the conductor segment 64 and will establish electricalcommunication therethrough with a brush 65 and conductor 66, whichconductor is associated with the conductor 31, thus completing thecircuit to the conductor 16. By the provision of the switch 50 and itsassociated circuit, and the magnet 52, it will be seen that after theshaft has been rotated,-closing the switch 50, will energize the magnet52, the energization 0 which will be broken for the time that the keeper55 is moved down, whereby rapid successive movements of the arm 57 willresult and the hook 58 will engage the teeth 44 to move the shaft 40, toits original position.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that a novel, efiicient andinexpensive remote control device is provided. It is to be understoodthat the invention is not to be confined to the specific impulsetransmitting switch herein showninor to other structural features hereinillustrated. It 'will be understood that numerous changes, modificationsand the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the present invention as outlined in thepresent claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a remote control; the combination of a rotatable shaft, a pair oftoothed disks thereon, a reciprocable hooked arm associated with each ofsaid disks, electro-magnets associated with each arm, a manuallyoperable impulse transmitting switch in electrical circuit with one sideof one of said electro-magnets and com rising a rotatable element havinga plura 'ty of conducting arms, a fixed conductin element over whichsaid arms ass and in cu'cuit with the other side of sai electro-magnet,said switch further including means for permitting contact of said armswith said fixed contact element in one direction of rotation thereof andpreventing contact of said arms with said element in the oppositedirection of rotation thereof whereby to impart electrical impulses tosaid elcctro-magnet in one direction of rotation only, a circuit controlcarried by said shaft and in circuit with said other electro-magnet anda manually operable switch in circuit with said electro-magnet wherebyto energizethe same to operate its associated arm to rotate said shaftin a reverse direction.

2. In a remote control, the combination of a shaft tobe rotated, meansfor rotating said shaft including a pair of electro-magnets, a manuallyoperable transmitting switch associated with one of said electro-magnetsfor imparting a predetermined number of electrical impulses thereto,said switch comprising a rotatable element having a plurality ofconducting arms, a fixed conducting element over which said arms maysuccessively pass,

said switch further including means for per mitting contact of said armswith said conducting element in one direction of rotation thereof andpreventing contact of said arms with said element in the oppositedirection of rotation thereof, springs means for returning saidrotatable element to normal position, and a switch member associatedwith said other electro-magnet for imparting electrical impulses theretofor reversely rotating said shaft.

3. 'In a remote control, the combination of a shaft to be rotated, anelectro-magnet for imparting a step by step rotation thereof in onedirection, a manually operable impulse 4o transmitting switch associatedwith said elec tro-magnet, said switch comprising a rotatable elementhaving a plurality of conducting arms, a fixed conducting element overwhich said arms may successively pass, a

guard member positioned over said fixed contact and constructed topermit engagementof said arms and said contact in one directionofrotation of said rotatable element, spring means for returning saidrotatable element to normal position, a circuit control member carriedby said shaft, an electromagnet in circuit with said control member forimparting a step by step rotation of said shaft in the oppositedirection, and a manually operable switch for energizing saidelectro-magnet. I

DAVID WILLIAM REDDY.

